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Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

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South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, looks for a hole in the Missouri defensive line as he rushes for a first down during the first half at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. on Sept. 22, 2012. / Associated Press

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MOBILE, Ala. – Adrian Peterson set the gold standard of rehabbing from a shredded knee with an MVP-caliber 2,000-yard rushing season this year.

Marcus Lattimore hopes to follow in his footsteps.

Lattimore, the South Carolina running back who suffered a gruesome right knee injury in an October win over Tennessee, said a check-up with Dr. James Andrews a couple weeks ago gave him hope he’ll be ready for the start of the 2013 season.

Lattimore, who tore the ACL in his left knee in 2011, was widely considered the best running back in college football before enduring an injury so disturbing he was only able to watch it once on replay.

Still, Lattimore said he never considered he might have played his last game.

“I feel like 80 percent of it is mental,” he said. “If you don’t do your rehab, if you keep asking yourself, ‘Why me?’ your knee reacts. You have to stay positive or you’re not going to come back.”

Lattimore, who stopped by Senior Bowl practice today, said he’s already met with the Jaguars, Bengals and Chiefs among other teams – he hasn’t spoken with the Lions yet – but doesn’t have much feel for where he’ll go in the draft.

Before his injury he said he considered himself the best running back available.

And now?

“I mean, I’m hurt right now,” Lattimore said. “I can’t be the best back in the draft.”

But Lattimore might still be a high pick if his medicals check out. He said he's talked about his recovery to Willis McGahee, the Broncos running back who tore three ligaments in his final college game and was still a first-round pick, and considers McGahee inspiration for how high he might go.

“I know when I get on that team I’m going to work as hard as I can,” Lattimore said. “And I know what I can do on that field. I can catch, I can run, I can block, I can do it all and there’s no doubt that I’ll be a starter.”